Amanda Swinimer, BSc+ (owner/operator)

Amanda Swinimer completed her BSc+ at Dalhousie University with an advanced major in Marine Biology.

Her deep love of the ocean and the rainforest brought her to the west coast of Vancouver Island where she started her own business, Dakini Tidal Wilds, in 2003. For 17 years, Amanda has been sustainably harvesting, by hand, edible seaweeds, wild herbs and crafting products from these wild gifts. For most of these years, she has been sharing her passion for the wild seaweeds of our coastline and their continued health with many people through a variety of hands-on teaching methods and with a focus of sustainability and respect for our rare coast. She has taught at post-secondary institutions including the University of Victoria, Bamfield Marine Science Centre and Royal Roads University, public schools, through private venues and is an international presenter.

The ocean is her garden.For Amanda seaweed are both a passion and her livelihood.

— On the Globe, Andrew Princz

 My kids...were recently initiated into the magical world of The Secret of Roan Inish, [they] are now pretty convinced that [Amanda is] very likely a real life selkie...